I was fortunate yesterday to be invited to a celebration in our Muslim community.
The event celebrated Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), a commemoration of the tribulations and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God. Millions of Muslims travel to Mecca at this time of year.
I was joined by my husband, MP Frank Valeriote and his wife, Chief Rob Davis and his wife and our Chief Adminstrative Officer, Hans Loewig who defied bad weather to attend.
We all brought greetings and I was particularly moved by the words of Chief Davis who spoke eloquently of his love of Guelph, sharing a number of statistics that show we live in a safe and caring community with a high quality of life.
The celebration also recognized a number of elders in the Muslim community who established the first mosque in Guelph several decades ago and who had been instrumental in establishing the Muslim Society in Guelph. Their vision for a new mosque to meet the needs of their growing faith community is something the City will continue to assist with.
Great food, lots of children, and warm hospitality best describe the event.
As we move out of 2008 and into 2009, I am feeling very grateful and fortunate to live in such a caring, diverse and promising community.
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